REVOLUTION ANALYTICS LAUNCHES “APPLICATIONS OF R IN BUSINESS” CONTEST

$20,000 in Prizes for Users Solving Business Problems with R

PALO ALTO, Calif. – September 1, 2011 – Revolution Analytics, the leading commercial provider of R software, services and support, today announced the launch of its “Applications of R in Business” contest to demonstrate real-world uses of applying R to business problems. The competition is open to all R users worldwide and submissions will be accepted through October 31. The Grand Prize winner for the best application using R or Revolution R will receive $10,000.

The bonus-prize winner for the best application using features unique to Revolution R Enterprise – such as itsbig-data analytics capabilities or its Web Services API for R – will receive $5,000. A panel of independent judges drawn from the R and business community will select the grand and bonus prize winners. Revolution Analytics will present five honorable mention prize winners each with $1,000.

“We’ve designed this contest to highlight the most interesting use cases of applying R and Revolution R to solving key business problems, such as Big Data,” said Jeff Erhardt, COO of Revolution Analytics. “The ability to process higher-volume datasets will continue to be a critical need and we encourage the submission of applications using large datasets. Our goal is to grow the collection of online materials describing how to use R for business applications so our customers can better leverage Big Analytics to meet their analytical and organizational needs.”

To enter Revolution Analytics’ “Applications of R in Business” competition, contestants will need to publish a written application of R to real-world data on the R community website inside-R.org. All entries must be published under a Creative Common license and must be publicly available data. For more information and competition rules, visit www.inside-r.org/howto/enter

Applications of R in Business

A competition to demonstrate real-world uses of R

Revolution Analytics is offering $20,000 in prizes to the best examples of applying R to business problems. This competition is designed to grow the collection of on-line materials describing how to use R, and to spur adoption of R and Revolution R for business applications. The contest is open to all R users worldwide.

Grand Prize: $10,000 for the best application using R or Revolution RBonus Prize: $5,000 for the best application using features unique to Revolution R EnterpriseHonorable Mention Prizes: 5 x $1,000

What makes a winning entry?

The goal of this contest to highlight the most interesting applications of R and Revolution R to solving problems of interest to businesses who need to derive information from their data using statistical analysis. We’re looking for self-contained demonstrations of R applied to such business problems, which would be suitable for showing to data analysts, IT managers, and others at companies to convince them of the value of R.

Entries should:

Describe the business problem to be solved

Perform analysis on a data set (real or simulated)

Include R code, output and graphics showcasing how R is applied to the problem

Entries which include (or link to) a self-contained R script reproducing the analysis and which are based on publicly-accessible data sets will be regarded favorably. An analysis which can be shown live is more likely to impress a potential R user.

Entries may use any feature of R, including packages available from CRAN. We encourage entries to also use the additional capabilities of Revolution R Enterprise, such as the RevoScaleR big data package and the RevoDeployR Web Services API, and a bonus prize is available to any entry which uses features exclusive to Revolution R Enterprise. (If you don’t have Revolution R Enterprise, academics can download it for free, or you can request a trial version for use in the contest.

Publishing your Entry

Entries to the contest are submitted as a new “How To” page on inside-r.org, with the tag “contest”. Here’s how:

1. Log in to inside-r.org (if you don’t have a login, register first).
2. Click the “How To” tab at the top of the page.
3. In the right column under “User Toolbox”, click ‘Create a “How To” post‘.
4. Enter a title for your entry that describes your business application in the “Title” box.
5. Enter contest in the “Tags” box”. Optionally, add additional keywords relevant to your application, separated by commas.
6. Describe your business application of R in the “Body:” box. See “Formatting your Entry” below for details.
7. Click Save
8. Your entry will be visible to you, but will not immediately be visible to the general public until it is approved by a moderator (usually within 24 hours — this is to prevent spam).

Formatting your Entry

Each entry must be contained within a single “How To” page. You have access to selected HTML tags (the list is given to you at the bottom of the page as you post your entry). Use the <r> </r> tags to bracket R code. You can include images in your entries with the <img> tag, but you must host the images themselves on another site (for example, www.imgur.com). Click here for detailed instructions on formatting entries. You are encouraged to link to supplemental materials in your entry (for example, complete R scripts or data files), but entries will be judged on the content in the submitted page.

Questions? Need Help?

1. HOW TO ENTER: NO PURCHASE OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE THE CHANCES OF WINNING.

ODDS OF WINNING WILL DEPEND ON THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE ENTRIES RECEIVED AND ON THE SKILL OF THE ENTRANT. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW OR WHERE REGISTRATION OR BONDING REQUIRED. SUBJECT TO ALL FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LAWS. ONLINE ENTRY ONLY AND INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED.

To participate in the Revolution Analytics Use Case Contest (the “Contest”) beginning at 12:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Savings Time (“PDT”) on September 1, 2011 through 11:59 p.m. PDT on December 31, 2011 (“Contest Period”) you must submit your use case proposal through the Contest webpage (collectively, the “Entry”), visit the inside_R.org website and follow the instructions described on the Use Case Contest page, located at http://www.inside-r.org/howto/enter (the “Instructions”) on how to submit your Entry. The initial Entry must be submitted by November 1, 2011. There will be a public comment period between November 1, 2011 and December 1, 2011 (the “Comment Period”), and entrants will have the opportunity to refine their Entries and submit final Entries. An entrant must submit his or her final Entry by the end of the Contest Period. All information on the Entry form must be completed. Time of entry will be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion.

All Entries must meet the following criteria:

Entries must be posted via a format that is compatible with and viewable on the Contest page.

Entries must be original, and the Entrant must have all rights necessary to take and post and submit the Entry.

Entries may not contain images or likenesses of any individuals who are under the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence, or who have not provided their authorization.

Entries may not contain material that is obscene, defamatory, libelous, threatening, pornographic, racially or ethnically offensive, or encourages conduct that would be considered a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability, or violate any law. Entries must be appropriate for viewing by the general public; appropriateness will be determined by Sponsor.

All Entries must be in English.

2. WINNERS: Winners of the Contest will be determined based on the following:

The object of the Contest is to submit during the Contest Period the most-compelling use case about how the R statistical software may be used to solve a particular business problem. Sponsor will select up to 20 finalists, and judging to determine the winners from among the finalists will be by Sponsor and a panel of expert judges appointed by Sponsor. Judging will be based on (i) successful use of R software in addressing business needs and (ii) creative and effective use of tools uniquely available via Revolution Analytics software.

3. NOTIFICATION: Winners will be attempted to be notified on or about January 15, 2012. By participating, Entrants agree to the Official Rules and the determination of the winners by Sponsor (or its designees), which shall be final and binding in all respects. Acceptance of any prize constitutes permission to use, where applicable, winners’ company information and Entries and their participating employees’ names and likenesses without further compensation, except where prohibited by law and as otherwise provided herein. No information regarding judging will be disclosed.

4. PRIZE:

One (1) Grand Prize: USD $10,000, to be awarded to the overall best Entry showing use of R software and/or Sponsor’s Revolution Analytics software to solve a particular business problem.

One (1) Category Prize: USD $5000, to be awarded to the Entry that best uses unique tools available in Sponsor’s Revolution Analytics software.

Five (5) Honorable Mention Prizes: USD $1000, to be awarded to the 5 next-best Entries that solve a particular business problem using R Software and/or Sponsor’s Revolution Analytics software.

The total approximate retail value of the prize package described above is USD $20,000.

No financial or other compensation will be made for any other use of the Entry. Winners will be attempted to be notified by e-mail or mail. Any notification returned as undeliverable may result in disqualification. Prizes are not transferable; no substitutions or cash equivalents are allowed except by the Sponsor who reserves the right to award a prize of equal or greater value if advertised prize is unavailable. Winners may be required to execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility/Release of Liability/Assignment of Rights/Publicity Releases (where legal) within 21 days of notification attempt. If a winner fails to return by the deadline, prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner determined, based on the criteria set forth above. TAXES, IF ANY, RELATED TO THE PRIZE ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WINNERS. No responsibility or liability is assumed for damages, losses or injury resulting from acceptance or use of any prize. All other expenses and costs not expressly listed above are the winners’ sole responsibility.

5. ELIGIBILITY: Each Entrant must be an individual who is at least the age of majority in his or her jurisdiction of residence for the duration of the Contest Period. Each Entrant must have permission from his or her employer and any company profiled and have the right to provide the Entry (including any company information) and to grant the rights provided in these Official Rules. Affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising, promotion, and fulfillment agencies or Sponsor, and immediate family members and persons of employees, officers and directors of Sponsor living in their same household, are not eligible to win a prize.

6. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: By entering the Contest and submitting an Entry, each Entrant agrees to, and grants Sponsor a license to use the Entry pursuant to the Creative Commons Attributed ShareAlike 3.0 license, which can be found at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/legalcode. The terms of the ShareAlike 3.0 license are incorporated by reference into these Official Rules. In the event of any inconsistency between these Official Rules and the Creative Commons Attributed ShareAlike 3.0 license, these Official Rules shall govern.

7. GENERAL RULES: In the event of a dispute regarding any Entry, that Entry will be deemed made by the authorized holder of the primary email address associated with the Entry at the time of the Entry submission. Return of any prize or prize notification as undeliverable may result in disqualification and alternate determination. By participating in this Contest, Entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor. The Sponsor is not responsible for technical, hardware, software or telephone malfunctions of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, or failed, incorrect, incomplete, inaccurate, garbled or delayed electronic communications caused by the user or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this Contest or by any human error which may occur in the processing of the online entries in this Contest. The Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any Entrant that tampers or attempts to tamper with the Entry process or the operation of the Contest or web site; violates the Official Rules; or acts in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person and Entrant to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. The Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest if it is not capable of running as planned, including, but not limited to, infection by computer virus, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures or any other problems beyond the control of the Sponsor and award the prize from among all eligible online Entries received prior to cancellation. The Sponsor and each of its respective affiliates, officers, directors, agents, and employees will have no liability or responsibility for any claim arising in connection with participation in this Contest or the prize awarded. Each winner assumes all liability for any injury or damage caused, or claimed to be caused, by participation in this Contest or use or redemption of any prize.

8 RELEASE/LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY: YOU HEREBY HOLD THE SPONSOR HARMLESS FROM AND AGAINST ANY THIRD PARTY CLAIM ARISING FROM USE OF THE ENTRY. SPONSOR AND ITS AGENTS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST, LATE, DAMAGED, MISDIRECTED, ILLEGIBLE, INCOMPLETE, OR MUTILATED ENTRIES, OR FOR ANY COMPUTER, ONLINE, TELEPHONE OR TECHNICAL MALFUNCTIONS, DELAYS OR HUMAN ERRORS THAT OCCUR IN THE PROCESSING, TRANSMISSION OR RECEIPT OF ENTRIES, OR FOR INACCURATE TRANSCRIPTION OF ENTRY INFORMATION, OR FOR ENTRIES THAT ARE STOLEN, MISDIRECTED, GARBLED, LOST OR DELAYED BY COMPUTER TRANSMISSIONS, OR IF FOR ANY REASON, THE CONTEST IS NOT CAPABLE OF BEING CONDUCTED AS PLANNED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INFECTION BY COMPUTER VIRUSES, BUGS, TAMPERING, UNAUTHORIZED INTERVENTION, FRAUD, TECHNICAL FAILURES, OR OTHER CAUSES BEYOND THE CONTROL OF SPONSOR. SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT AT ITS SOLE DISCRETION TO CANCEL, TERMINATE, MODIFY OR SUSPEND THE CONTEST. SPONSOR IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR INCORRECT OR INACCURATE ENTRY INFORMATION WHETHER CAUSED BY INTERNET USERS OR BY ANY OF THE EQUIPMENT OR PROGRAMMING ASSOCIATED WITH OR UTILIZED IN THE CONTEST OR BY ANY TECHNICAL OR HUMAN ERROR THAT MAY OCCUR IN THE PROCESSING OF THE ENTRIES IN THE CONTEST.

9. PRIVACY POLICY AND USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION: Sponsor collects personal information from you when you enter this Contest. You are providing information to Sponsor. Sponsor reserves the right to use any information collected in accordance with its privacy policy, which may be found athttp://www.revolutionanalytics.com/aboutus/legal.php.

10. CHOICE OF LAW; VENUE: Any disputes in connection with this Contest will be resolved in the appropriate courts in Santa Clara County, California, exclusively, and subject to the laws of the state of California. Should there be a conflict between the laws of the state of California and any other laws, the conflict will be resolved in favor of the laws of the state of California.

11. WINNERS’ LIST: A list of all winners will be posted on the www.inside-R.org web site for a period of time beginning on or about January 15, 2012. Requests for the name of the winners may also send a self-address, stamped envelope making such request to Revolution Analytics Use Case Contest, Winners’ List Request, 101 University Ave, Suite 300, Palo Alto, CA 94301. Vermont residents may omit return postage.